How to Deploy Postgresql with Docker Compose

Deploying Bitnami PostgreSQL on Ubuntu Using Docker Compose (Persistent Data + Permission Fix)

This guide explains how to set up a Bitnami PostgreSQL container using Docker Compose on Ubuntu, configure persistent storage, and fix permission issues such as FATAL: could not open file "global/pg_filenode.map": Permission denied.

1. Create the Directory Structure

On your Ubuntu host, create a directory to store PostgreSQL data and configuration:

mkdir -p ~/bitnami-postgres/postgresql_data
chown 1001:1001 ~/bitnami-postgres/postgresql_data

Explanation

  • postgresql_data: Directory for PostgreSQL data (persistent storage).
  • UID 1001: The default user ID used by Bitnami PostgreSQL inside the container.

2. Create the docker-compose.yml File

Create a docker-compose.yml file inside ~/bitnami-postgres:

version: '3.8'

services:
  docker_postgres:
    image: bitnami/postgresql:latest
    container_name: docker_postgres
    restart: always
    environment:
      - POSTGRESQL_USERNAME=dockeruser
      - POSTGRESQL_PASSWORD=yourpassword
      - POSTGRESQL_DATABASE=dockerdatabase
    ports:
      - "5432:5432"
    volumes:
      - ./postgresql_data:/bitnami/postgresql

Note Bitnami PostgreSQL stores data in /bitnami/postgresql inside the container, unlike the official PostgreSQL image, which uses /var/lib/postgresql/data.

3. Start PostgreSQL

Start the container:

docker compose up -d

Check logs:

docker compose logs docker_postgres

If PostgreSQL starts successfully, you should see:

postgresql  INFO  ==> Starting PostgreSQL in background...
postgresql  INFO  ==> PostgreSQL started successfully

4. Common Issues & Fixes

Issue: pg_filenode.map Permission Denied

If you see errors in the logs or psql outputs:

FATAL: could not open file "global/pg_filenode.map": Permission denied

This means your mounted data directory permissions are incorrect.

4.1 Check UID/GID Inside the Container

Run:

docker exec -it docker_postgres ls -ld /bitnami/postgresql/data

Example output:

drwx------ 19 1001 1001 4096 Aug 27 10:46 data

If UID=1001, PostgreSQL runs under UID 1001. If your host-mounted directory isn’t owned by UID 1001, PostgreSQL cannot access the data.

4.2 Fix Permissions on the Host

Run the following on the host machine:

sudo chown -R 1001:1001 ~/bitnami-postgres/postgresql_data

Verify:

ls -ld ~/bitnami-postgres/postgresql_data

Expected output:

drwx------ 19 1001 1001 4096 Aug 27 10:46 postgresql_data

4.3 Restart the Container

docker compose down
docker compose up -d

Check logs again:

docker compose logs docker_postgres

If no errors appear, the permission issue is fixed.

5. Test if PostgreSQL Is Working

5.1 Inside the Container

docker exec -it docker_postgres psql -U dockeruser -d dockerdatabase -c "SELECT 1;"

Expected result:

 ?column?
----------
        1
(1 row)

5.2 From the Host

If port 5432 is mapped, test from the host:

psql -h 127.0.0.1 -p 5432 -U dockeruser -d dockerdatabase -c "SELECT 1;"

6. Summary

Feature Directory / Config Description
Data Directory ~/bitnami-postgres/postgresql_data Must be persistent; ensure UID=1001
Config Directory ~/bitnami-postgres/config (optional) Custom postgresql.conf if needed
Image bitnami/postgresql Bitnami PostgreSQL container
Default UID 1001 Change ownership if permission issues
Start Command docker compose up -d Start container in background
Test Command docker exec -it docker_postgres psql ... Verify database connectivity

7. Final Result

  • Data is persistent ✅
  • Permissions are correct ✅
  • PostgreSQL runs smoothly ✅
  • Database connections work ✅

End of Article

August 26, 2025